Fly - Tabanus sulcifrons

Looks like a

male T. sulcifrons. Moved to sp. page.

… Tony-2, 22 July, 2006 - 1:59pm

That's the one.....

Tony. Excellent match. Thanks for your help. How can you tell it is a male?

… Bob Moul, 22 July, 2006 - 2:20pm

In tabanids

and many other flies the eyes of males meet in the center line; in females the eyes do not touch.

… Tony-2, 22 July, 2006 - 2:39pm

Thanks Tony. The photo that Stephen refers to below would be a female then?

… Bob Moul, 22 July, 2006 - 2:59pm

Yup

it's a female. Forgot about the eye thing at first (oops!)

… Stephen Luk, 22 July, 2006 - 3:20pm

Thanks,Stephan. Learn something new everyday on BugGuide.

… Bob Moul, 22 July, 2006 - 3:57pm

Looks very similar to Tabanus novaescotiae.

Compare with this one

… Stephen Luk, 22 July, 2006 - 1:29pm

... but there seems to be a difference between the eyes. ??

Thanks, Stephen.

… Bob Moul, 22 July, 2006 - 2:17pm

Nice photos!I'm thinking

Nice photos!

I'm thinking Horse-fly. All the Deer-flies I've come to know and hate (the little blood-thirsty beastards), have wide brown banding on the wings in one form or another. And they are generally always about 1/3rd to 1/2 size smaller than the Horse-flies that I've also met while swatting at them. Deer-flies seem to have a more jet-plane like appearance too, wings held out at an angle, and narrower bodies than Horse-flies. Deer-flies also seem to hold their wings out flat or slightly inclined upward, whereas Horse-flies hold them as in this image, folded at a downward angle to the surface they are on.

I could be wrong, but those seem to be some general observations I've made about the differences between them.

Can't help you more than that. My study of them has only gone so far as to try to find ways to keep them from biting me. :-)

… Keoeeit, 22 July, 2006 - 12:42pm

Thanks for

your comments, Keoeeit. They do have a mean temper and nasty bite,

… Bob Moul, 22 July, 2006 - 2:19pm